Jupiterimages/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Residents near Rockaway beach in Queens, N.Y. were in for an odd sight Monday night. A small, single-engine plane made an emergency landing there, just miles from JFK airport. The pilot, 24-year-old Jason Maloney, seemed uncharacteristically relaxed throughout the ordeal, even joking with air traffic control.

The plane landed safely, and none of its two passengers were injured, including a 21-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man. According to the recording, Maloney asked for permission to land in shallow water, telling the air traffic controller, "This might be crazy, but are we allowed to land on the beach?"

The pilot originally reported that he had a sick passenger, but then later admitted that he had got the idea from Flying Wild Alaska, a reality show on the Discovery channel. The Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot "reported a rough-running engine." Or, as Maloney stated, because his engine was "a little teeeensy bit rough."﻿

In the startlingly casual exchange, Maloney responded "roger" several times to the air traffic controller, but pronouncing it "rod-jahhh," stretching out its syllables.

His cavalier attitude continued, as he told the controller, "Just let me know if we're up in your grill, you know." Both passengers and pilot survived the incident without injury but the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the matter.

A partial transcript: Pilot: hey tower, I got a question for ya Controller: go ahead. Pilot: this might be crazy, but are we allowed to land on the beach? Controller: you mean you want me to follow the shoreline at below 500 feet? Pilot: roger Pilot: Just let me know if we're up in your grill, you know".